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•Handy Websites
•Packing Tips
•Dealing with Parents
•Money Matters
•Getting to Utrecht
•Local Doctors
•Secret Tips
Sharon DiFino's Homepage
Program Director
Dr. Sharon Difino
difino@prodigy.net
difino@ufl.edu
Cell Phone: 06-25-302-328
Important Stuff
Handy Websites
Check out these websites for help:
- Universiteit Utrecht Homepage (in English)
http://www.uu.nl/uupublish/home/english/university/1882main.html - Erasmus Student Network
http://www.studver.uu.nl/esn/ (ESN Utrecht)
Hostelling and Backpacking
- http://www.hostels.com/
- http://www.hostelworld.com/
- http://www.eurotrip.com/
- http://www.flyingpig.nl/
(The Flying Pig is the most popular hostel in Amsterdam. Reserve early!) - http://www.eurail.com/
(Email Andi for advice on buying a Eurail pass!!!!!!!!)
Air Travel
- http://www.sta.com/
- http://www.travelocity.com/
- http://www.priceline.com/
- http://www.expedia.com/
(Also- check out individual airlines’ homepages.)
Hotel Mitland, Utrecht
We call this place "Rock Star Hotel." It’s super cheap, and it has a bowling alley, pool, sauna, and tanning beds. What more could you ask for?
http://www1.tip.nl/~t587942/home_e.htm
Museums
You'll have the opportunity to visit many museums all over Holland this summer. Here are a few of their websites.
The EU
This summer much of the focus of your course will be the European Union. Check out its website. The EU
Travel Gear
Sierra Trading Post is highly recommended by certain former UF/Utrecht students.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com
Train and Bus Schedules
Coming Soon! Train and Bus Schedules for all major European cities.
Packing Tips
When is comes to packing for European Travel, you must remember: LESS IS MORE! In other words- when in doubt, bring less stuff and more money! A credit card weighs much less than a pair of sneakers and you will always have the opportunity to buy a cheap pair of sneaks once you get to Europe.
Other tips
Your parents CAN ship stuff to your dorm in Utrecht. For a rough estimate of cost- my parents shipped me two blankets and a pair of shoes in a box that was about 2ft x 2ft x 3ft in dimension. It cost them $40 and it took about 1.5 weeks to arrive. Hmmm, you know looking back, $40 was kind of expensive. Ok, so the moral is that you CAN have stuff shipped to you but it will cost big bucks. You can also ship stuff home if you don't want to put it on the plane with you. Utrecht has a fab post office (Postkantoor) downtown. Just buy a cardboard box, pack it up and label it, then take a number and wait for your turn at a customer service window. (ps: The Postkantoor also functions as a Ticketmaster-sort-of-place. Get all your concert tickets there. We saw Ani Difranco in Utrecht and U2 was there for three nights last summer.)
Memorize this equation: Europe = shopping. Clothing and shoe stores in Europe are just as cool, and usually cooler, than American stores. I highly recommmend shoe-shopping in Amsterdam. But make sure to figure out your European shoe size! Anyway, because the shopping is so choice, you should definitely leave empty room in your pack when leaving the States. I promise you'll be glad you did when trying to stuff 35 lbs of clothes, shoes, and souvenirs into your bags at the end of the summer.
Yet another reason to pack less clothes: YOU WILL BE WITH THE SAME SMELLY GATORS ALL SUMMER! Trust me, you are not going to care if your fellow Uters wear the same jeans five days in a row- you'll be doing the same thing! It rains a lot in Utrecht and I promise, you will be wet. A lot. So don't expect to prance around like Miss Pretty Pretty Princess in fresh clean clothes all summer. Learn to care less about your physical appearance and more about making new friends, broadening your horizons, etc., etc.
Packing Checklist (suggestions not commandments!)
- jeans (2 pairs)
- sneakers (one sturdy pair, already broken in)
- club shoes (one pair)
- club outfit (one)
- t-shirts (long and short sleeved)
- heavy sweatshirt or sweater (one)
- towel
- blanket or bedsheet
- bathing suit
- socks
- underwear ( A LOT!)
- shampoo
- soap
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- *copies of all credit cards, passport, ID cards, etc.
- *luggage locks (combo locks are best)
- feminine products
- *birth control / condoms
- *prescription meds
- *OTC meds (such as Tylenol, Excedrin, Nyquil, etc.)
- *contact lens solution
- razor
- *camera
- *film
- *Ranch salad dressing (unheard of in Europe)
- more to come as I think of things...
Dealing With 'Rents
So you thought you were big boys and girls, all grown up and living on your own, independent and self sufficient... Well, boy were you WRONG! There is nothing that brings out the parental hand wringing and eyebrow wrinkling better than announcing a 6 week trip to Europe. And not just Europe, Holland! Land of marijuana and euthanasia and prostitution (oh, my)! Well tell your parents to calm their fears because no Gator has ever returned from Utrecht with a drug addiction, dead, or with a strange itch.
There are a few favors you can do for your parents that will keep them off your back and keep the cash flowing all summer:
Leave them a detailed itinerary of your trip. This should includes names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and websites of hostels or hotels you'll be staying at , as well as the dates you'll be there. Also leave the names and phone numbers of the parents of any friends you'll be travelling with. Maybe they can get together while you're gone and have worrying parties.
Find a copy machine and be sure to leave copies of plane tickets, your ISIC card, your passport, your driver's license, any credit cards you brought with you, your Medex card, and any travel insurance. Also write down the serial numbers of any traveler's checks. Basically, copy your entire life and leave it in a binder at Mom and Dad's house. They'll feel better and if any emergencies come up, they'll have the info they need. Oops- one more thing- be sure to leave somebody Dr. Difino's international cell phone number. It is 31-(0)6-302-328.
Don't forget to email and call as much as you can! If your 'rents aren't email-savvy, teach them now!!! It'll save tons of money in international phone calls. Most importantly- be sure to call when you first arrive in Europe. One of parents' favorite worry fantasies is the overseas flight hijacking and/or plane crash. So, please, give them a ring so they know you're not floating on a seat cushion somewhere in the Atlantic.
Money Matters
The Dutch form of currency is the "guilder."
You can exchange your American cash for Dutch cash here in the US at your bank or at any bank or money-changing establishment in Europe. These money-changing places are commonly found in trains stations, airports, and other tourist-filled areas. You will probably find that you will spend cash more often than you will use credit cards or traveler's cheques. There are many stores and restaurants in Utrecht that take American Express but, unfortunately, few places take VISA. You should be able to use your American ATM card at any Dutch ATM machine to withdraw cash for a small fee (around $1.50 per transaction).
Getting There
Sketchy instructions on getting around in Holland.
If you have just arrived in Amsterdam, chances are you are at Schipol airport. Schipol (prounced skip - hole) is huge but it's very well organized, so you shouldn't have too much trouble getting around. And DO NOT EVER BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP! The Dutch speak 100% perfect English and they are VERY used to dorky American backpackers who get lost in their own dorm rooms.
The bottom of Schipol is a train station (MY, how handy!) so once you get your bags just follow the signs to the trains (treins) and the ticket counters (lokets). Tell the ticket-person that you want a one way ticket to Utrecht Central Station. Once you pay for your ticket, ask the ticket person where to go. Proceed to your train platform, hop on and say "tot ziens" (see you later) to Amsterdam. You may have to switch trains at Duivendrecht.
Doctors
See the Important Numbers list on the Information Page.
Secret Tips
Candy
The movie theatre is that last place you think of for cheap candy, right? Well think again because the theatre on the corner of the Drift and Voorstraat has the cheapest pick-n-mix candy in town. And you don't even have to see a movie to buy it. Just stroll in and enjoy. Happy sugar highs!
However, if you do want to see a movie- remember that the shows and times for all the theatres in town are posted in the window of every theatre! (You do need to learn your days of the week in Dutch, though.)
Trains
Do not expect to get your ticket checked on every train ride you take... but that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy a ticket. You face a heavy fine if you are caught on a train without a ticket. However, if you've got a Eurail pass with days left that you don't mind using up, don't bother buying a train ticket. Just use a Eurail day if the ticket checker comes around.
The 'net:
You can check your email and surf the net at the library or the computer lab near the canteen during school hours. But the cheapest and most hassle free way to stay on top of your emailing is to go to Time 2 Surf at around one in the morning. Time is super cheap then, so buy a lot. But don't walk there alone at night! Utrecht crack heads will be roaming the streets like zombies. :)
Also- use the bathroom at Time 2 Surf at least once this summer... it's cool but I'm not going to tell you why! Just do it!
Pannenkoeken:
Fun Fact: the Pancake Bakery Restaurant takes American cash at a pretty good exchange rate.... good way to get rid of ugly green money.
Clothes:
Girls, it is all about H & M! If you've been backpacking around London, Dublin, or any other major European city you may have already encountered this, my personal heaven. The clothes freakin' rock, they take American Express, and the place is huge! Feel free to bring me home some H & M souvenirs.
My other personal heaven- Mexx. Just a few doors down from H & M, Mexx is fairly high priced but so worth it! Very stylish, very sexy... and the clothes are great, too. (Check out the guys that work there- can you say "lekker?")
Boys- I have absolutely no shopping advice for you. You're on your own!
Mitland Hotel:
If you need to be in Utrecht before or after the program and can't stay in the dorm there is only one place I will allow you to stay- the Mitland Hotel. This is the most luxurious hotel I have ever stayed in for 50-60 dollars a night. We dubbed it "Rock Star Hotel" because we hung out there for two days straight eating pizza in bed like rock stars. Let me give you a rundown of its facilities- huge pool, sauna, steam room, whirl pools, tanning beds, bowling alley, two restaurants, bar, huge continental breakfast, massive tubs and beds, television with pay-per-view Dutch porn.... the list goes on and on. Any cab driver can call to check if they have rooms available and take you there, just ask. I think one of the buses goes there, too. They've got a website- I'll post the link here soon. Ahhhhh, Mitland, we miss you.
Sandwiches:
Florin for lunch sandwiches. Lekker.
Salem:
Salem (prounounced suh-leem)is a short black guy with dreads and lots of rasta tee-shirts. He is one of the coolest cats we met in Utrecht. You might see him with the other hippies against the wall just above the Winkel van Sinkel and Axel clubs or at Mick o' Connell's on Tuesdays. Tell him you're from University of Florida- he knows all about us Gators. He knows everything about Utrecht and all kinds of fun stuff to do. He'll even give you his cell phone number! Tell him we miss him!
Australian Ice Cream:
The best ice cream you will ever have in your life. One location downtown near HEMA, another in the station. Try the remixen flavors.
Cash Money:
Fun Fact: The ATM inside Hema lets you pick what bills you want your withdrawal to come out in.
